New rail lines connecting Manchester with Liverpool and Leeds, underground platforms at Piccadilly train station and a tunnel through the Pennines.

All are included in a £2.3bn-a-year ‘transport bible’ for the north, to be published today (Tuesday).

The £69bn plan compiled by Transport for the North (TfN)- a body of civic and business leaders - outlines what is needed on roads and rail to boost the economy, including:

- Junctions and extra platforms off the high speed railway (HS2) from London at key points like Manchester Piccadilly and Leeds so passengers can easily transfer to other cities. This could include underground platforms at Piccadilly.

- A new Trans Pennine rail line that connects Manchester and Leeds via Bradford

- Upgrades to the Hope Valley line from Sheffield to Manchester via Stockport

- Boosted capacity at Piccadilly station to allow for eight through-services per hour

- A revised plan for a shorter and cheaper TransPennine road tunnel to Sheffield, starting on the A628 Woodhead Pass

- Better roads between Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire

- Seven key ‘rail and road corridors’ to join up key northern cities along routes key for business, research and development

- Smart ticketing with fair prices across the north - and passes available for rail season ticket holders next year

- A study of how to build a new line between Manchester and Sheffield

It includes a revised plan for a shorter and cheaper TransPennine road tunnel to Sheffield, starting on the Woodhead Pass

The report’s authors say it outlines what is needed by 2050 to close the north south divide; make travel better for people and goods; inject £100bn in the economy; and create 850,000 jobs.

TfN chairman John Cridland said: “For the first time, civic and business leaders and transport operators are speaking with one voice on transport to make sure the North fulfils its potential.

“Our plan proposes a revolutionary investment programme that will make it possible to travel to high quality jobs. This is an ambitious programme that will improve our roads and railways, and will also drive a sea change in skills development in the North and ensuring we meet that historic gap in investment.”

Read More

It is hoped that once delivered, 1.3m people will be within an hour of four or more major northern cities - compared to 10,000 currently.

The total cost, say leaders, would be around £69bn up to 2050, or £2.3bn a year - which equates to £150 per northern passenger.

Currently, investment amounts to around £1.4bn a year – or £100 per northern passenger.

The government has already announced a £300m cash injection to allow TfN to plan for rail work around HS2.

The plan includes boosting capacity at Piccadilly station to allow for eight through-services per hour (Image: Mark Waugh)

Mr Cridland told the Manchester Evening News last month this was proof that they can influence government spending.

He added: “It’s not for me to say what will happen but I do think we have seen ongoing commitment to building the Northern Powerhouse and an understanding that transport investment is vital to deliver an economic transformation.”

A public consultation will run until April 17. A final version of the plan will be published later in the year and submitted to the government for ministerial consideration.

Following approval by Parliament, TfN will become England’s first sub-national transport body at the beginning of April.

It means its plans must be formally considered by government when decisions are made about where to spend transport cash in the north.